Stir together yeast and warm water in mixer bowl and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn’t foam, start over with new yeast.)

Add 2 cups flour, 2/3 cup sugar, salt, yogurt, egg, zest, and vanilla to yeast mixture and mix at medium-low speed 1 minute. Beat in 1 stick butter, 1 Tbsp at a time, until incorporated. Beat at medium speed until dough is smooth and shiny, about 5 minutes. (Dough will be very sticky.) Scrape down side of bowl and sprinkle dough with remaining 2 Tbsp flour. Cover bowl with a kitchen towel (not terry cloth) and let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Spread remaining 2 Tbsp butter in bottom of a 9-inch square baking pan and sprinkle with remaining 1/3 cup sugar. Cut each plum half into 5 or 6 slices and arrange in 1 layer in pan.

Stir dough until flour is incorporated, then spread evenly over plums. Loosely cover with buttered plastic wrap, then kitchen towel. Let rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until almost doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.

Bake until kuchen is golden-brown and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pan 5 minutes, then invert and unmold onto a rack to cool completely.

COOKS’ NOTE: Kuchen is best the day it is baked but can be kept, loosely covered, at room temperature 1 day.

Sure, I love a good BA post, but I have to give it to your commenters too - so entertaining, post after post. And thank you for introducing me to Eggton, Katherine! Also, has Matt ever been anything but the very first to comment? He's definitely the Michael Phelps of Bon Appetempt, right?

(I don't know if this will be tethered to my original comment - argh, Blogger.)

Indeed sad for Jordyn, especially the part where Aly and Gabby were being interviewed right in front of her while she wept! But, um, chellooooo. McKayla Maroney's Vault (in the team final) slack-jawed a judge, son! http://www.buzzfeed.com/jpmoore/us-gymnast-mckayla-maroney-landed-the-vault-of-her

uh I gotta chime in here, Alex. Matt has most certainly NOT always been the first commenter. I, from time to time, when the planets are aligned just right, have been known to be the first commenter. Problem is, when that happens Matt throws an EFFING FIT. So I usually just let him do it.

The above was set out, however, before my big culinary change of heart, as documented here. And while we're on the subject of pivotal moments... there have been a few over the (6) years, like this one and this one and, of course, this one AND now this one!